Community Events

Take the Time to be Healthier

Active transportation is any sort of transportation powered by YOU – walking, cycling, using a wheelchair, in-line skating or skateboarding. There are many ways to use active transportation in your daily life, whether it is walking to the bus stop, or cycling even part way to school or work.

Before you leave home to run that errand or get yourself or your kids to work or school, maybe ask yourself if driving there is necessary… could you walk or bike instead? If the weather’s nice and you’re going nearby, chances are you could easily choose a form of active transportation, save gas, money, get healthier and increase quality time with your kids. Maybe it means leaving a little earlier, but often it doesn’t take much to change up the usual routine.

In our community, the City of Surrey Greenways plan encourages “active transportation” as part of its sustainable transportation plan for the community and as a key component of an active, healthy lifestyle. Check out the Greenway routes here.

The wellness concept of our Surrey Pain & Wellness Chiropractic Clinic is based on a proactive approach to health

We want to make a difference in the well being of all people – at the individual, family and community level. Therefore the opportunity to contribute to the well being of others is important.

KidSport™ provides support to children in order to remove financial barriers that prevent them from playing organized sport. In recognition of the official launch of the Surrey-White Rock chapter of KidSport™, we are launching a campaign to support their efforts for kids to be active in organized sport.

This summer, help us support the Surrey-White Rock Chapter of KidSport™ in our Healthier Together Campaign. New patients can direct 100% of their first consult back to the community to help ensure that ALL kids can play.

Surrey has lots of opportunities for families to share in healthy activities, increase physical activity, and have fun together.

Yet according to the 2011 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, Canadian kids five and younger are dangerously physically inactive.

Surprising? In Surrey we are surrounded by things to do, especially in summer. We have beaches, parks, trees, trails and mountains. That means walking, running, jumping, climbing, skipping, swimming, throwing, catching, biking… having fun!

Healthy habits should start young, as lifestyle patterns set in our kids’ early years predict obesity and health outcomes later in life. And for kids it is crucial that they have LOTS of time for fun while being active. Physical play helps them make friends, and learn about themselves and their bodies as they develop their balance, coordination, agility, teamwork and social skills.

These activities can be done in groups as part of a community group or team, at the park with family and friends or just in the back yard.

Ask your kids what they want to do this summer and you will be amazed at what they might consider fun! This is also a way of finding out what sports or activities they might naturally excel at.

Surrey Pain and Wellness Clinic Awarded Best Surrey Chiropractor of 2010 by Readers of the Surrey Now Newspaper

Newton Chiropractic Office is Surrey Now Reader’s Choice Award Winner for Best Chiropractor in Surrey, North Delta & Peninsula

What an amazing honour this is for the Surrey Pain & Wellness Clinic!

I can’t thank our patients, the Surrey Now Newspaper readers, and the communities of Surrey, North Delta, South Surrey and White Rock quite enough for awarding us with the title of “BestSurreyChiropractor of the Year” for 2010 in their communities.

We are excited to begin our second year of chiropractic practice in Surrey, building on community wellness and continuing to work with and support our patients, their friends, families and co-workers in their journey to optimal health and wellness.

This year we plan to offer a series of chiropractic workshops on wellness and health-related issues that will complement our chiropractic services and wellness therapies.

Thank you again for this honour. We are so grateful for your confidence, not only for this award, but in our relationship as a health care provider to the residents of Surrey, North Delta, Newton and White Rock.

And Gear up for a Healthy 2011

Thanks to all of our clients for making our first year in business so special. To those who have assisted with our collection of food and funds to the Surrey Food Bank, thank you! We know that as a community we are “healthier together”! Part of our wellness concept – and a bonus tip on beating stress – is to be social and connect with people. There are many ways to connect with your community and by helping others you will usually discover that you get back way more than you give!

That said, we also know that with many extra things to do, additional demands on time, and changes in routine, our bodies are exposed to additional stress. We also tend to neglect doing the things that are good for us – like getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise. If anything, this is a time of year when we indulge in those foods and activities that are less healthy. Even healthy things, like spending time with family, can be a stressor at this time of year.

Did you know that the nervous system is responsible for co-ordinating every cell, tissue, muscle, gland, organ and system in the entire body? A chiropractic approach to health and wellness maintains alignment in the spine, thereby keeping the master system in the body – the nervous system – at its optimum level of health.

We have some other health and wellness suggestions to help prevent or alleviate holiday stress:

1. Sleep

Keep to your normal sleep cycle as much as you can, though if you are behind on sleep it is okay to catch up and get as much sleep as your body needs. During sleep, your body’s cells and tissues are busy healing and recovering often before you are even aware there is a problem – when your body doesn’t have enough sleep, your body cannot function at its optimal level. In fact, a recent study found that people who sleep less than 7 hours a night are three times more likely to get sick than people who sleep over 8 hours per night.

In chiropractic medicine, everything in our bodies is based on helping the body heal itself. Sleep is therefore an important part of maintaining health and also recovering from sickness, injury or disease. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t have a chance to repair and restore itself and make you more vulnerable to sickness, injury and disease as well.

Sleep is even more important during times of stress and in the winter months when we are likely to be exposed to colds, flues and other airborne illnesses.

Even a short lapse in physical activity can make you more prone to injury

2. Exercise

Just as sleep and rest are important in our overall health and wellness, so is physical activity and exercise. A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that individuals who exercised at least 20 minutes per day, 5 days/week, had 40% fewer sick days than individuals who exercised only one day per week or less. While science is not completely sure why this happens, researchers believe that increased levels of physical activity not only increases blood flow, respiration and metabolism levels, it also stimulates the immune system and helps transport immune cells around the body.

Even a lapse of one or two weeks in exercise will weaken your body so that you need to adapt the intensity of your routine before retiring to your usual activity levels and help prevent any muscle sprains or strains. Always pay attention to your body and work at an intensity level that is safe and comfortable. If you are new to exercising and have resolved to be more active this New Year, it is best to start slow and simple, perhaps with a gentle yoga class or a 20 minute walk outside each day. You can increase the length and intensity every week, but give your body time to adjust and strengthen itself.

3. De-stress

We know that stress – particularly chronic stress – takes a toll on our bodies and our ability to stay healthy. Given the numerous responsibilities that many of us have, and stresses about jobs, family and money, it is probably impossible to eliminate the stressors from our lives completely. But it is possible is alleviate some of them.

Try to find something that helps you relax, and devote 15 minutes to it every day. It could be yoga, walking, gardening, or reading a good book. Perhaps it is sitting in your kitchen drinking your tea, or taking a long, hot bath. The key is to dedicate at least 15 minutes every day towards relaxation (de-stressing). Soon you may even find yourself allotting 20 or 30 minutes to this practice, and finding other ways to de-stress. If so, congratulations! Remembering to slow down and take care of yourself is an important part of health and wellness.

4. Eat Well

As with everything in chiropractic medicine, a holistic approach to health and wellness is best. Winter is a time when we are storing up our energy reserves and trying to warm our bodies from the inside out. If you don’t eat meat, then increase the protein content of your meals during the winter. Eat winter squash, yams, potatoes, leeks, and onions. Flavour your food with warming spices like cinnamon, pepper, and ginger. Mmmmm…! If you do eat meat, you can probably eat a little more than you usually do.

If you are susceptible to catching colds, try to reduce the amount of dairy in your diet. Take care to be sure that you are dressed appropriately for the weather. Staying in cold and wet shoes or clothes for too long is a good way to increase your chances of coming down with the flu.

5. Chiropractic Care

Basically, this all boils down to taking care of yourself – body, mind, and spirit. If you put the work into doing that now, you lower your chances of sick days in 2011 are definitely decreased! You’ll find that not only do these measures prevent future disease, but taking care of yourself also feels pretty good in the here and now.

And so it is with chiropractic – take care of your spine today to help manage the smaller problems today so that they don’t become more acute or chronic conditions in the future.

With Best Wishes for a Healthy 2011 -| From All of Us at Surrey Pain & Wellness Clinic!